Electric fuse



A W. STEELE.

ELECTRIC FUSE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 24. m9.

ggg gsg Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARCHIE W. STEELE, OF BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO WILFORD J. HAWKINS, 01 MONTGLAIR, NEW JERSEY,

ELEGTRIC FUSE.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed September 24, 1919. Serial No. 325,881.

skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

This invention relates to fuses employed in safeguarding electric circuits and is directed particularly to such'a device in which the fuse element is readily removable and re laceable.

he object of the invention is to provide a fuse of simple an relatively inexpensive construction permitti g removal of the fuse element with facility and enabling replacement thereof, thus COIlL ving the principal parts of the fuse for continued use when the fuse element has been burned out by excessive passage of current therethrough.

Further objects and advantages of the ins vention will be apparent as it is better understood by reference to the. following specification, when read in connection with the accompanyin 'drawing illustrating the preferred embodiment thereof, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a fuse;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section therethrough; and 4 Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating an additional feature of my invention which may or may not be used as circumstances re uire.

eferring to the drawing, the fuse comprises a body consisting of a tube 5 of vulcanized fiber or other suitable insulating material. A cap 6 of metal closes the tube 5 at one end, except for ,a slot 7 in the cap permitting a blade 8 to project there through.

The blade 8 is connected within the tube 5 to a support 9 for the fuse. element 10, the blade and support being preferably connected by a screw 11, having a nut 12 and washer 13. A blade 14 is similarly connected to the other end of the support 9 and the fuse element 10 isadapted to be held with its extremities in close engagement with the blades 8 and 14 by the nuts 12.

The blade 14 projects through'a slot 15 in a cap 16 sim lar to the cap 6 and embracing the end of the tube 5- Thecap 16 is,

however, secured to the blade 14, preferably by upsetting the metal of the blade within the cap, as indicated at 17, so that the cap is removed from the tube 5 with the support 9, blades 8 and 14 and fuse element 10, theblade 8 being withdrawn from the slot 7 in the cap 6, when it becomes desirable or necessary to replace the fuse element 10.

The cap 16 is adapted to fit the tube 5 rather closely, so that the friction between 1 these parts insures retention of the fuse element 10 within the tube 5 under normal operating conditions, and particularly when the blades 8 and 14 are engaged with the usual clips (not shown) by which the fuse is connected to an electric circuit. The cap 16, together with the blades and the fuse element 10, may, however, be readily withdrawn when desired without employing tools of any kind.

InFig. 3 of the drawing, I have illus trated a slightly different form of the invention which embodies, however, all of the elements above described, which are, therefore, indicated by similar reference numerals on the drawing. As an additional precaution against accidental separation of the fuse element support from the tube 5, I provide a spring 18 which may be a strip of suitable metal secured to the rear face of the fuseelement support 9 by the screw 11.

The spring 18 is bent so that it engages the inner surface of the tube 5, when the parts are assembled and by frictional contact therewith insures retention of the parts in assembled position except as they may be purposely withdrawn.

The construction of the fuse as hereinbefore described is extremely simple and inexpensive, and as will be readily apparent,

a fuse is provided which permits withdrawal of the fuse element for replacement with the maximum facility. Thus, when the fuse element has been burned out by the passageof excessive current, the fuse element may be'withdrawn and replaced and the body of the fuse thus retained in service for a substantially unlimited period. The more expensive part of the fuse being substantially unperishable, a material saving in the cost of providing such devices is accomplished by the use of my invention, which,

it will benoted, is entirely free from e Qb'l jectional features of such devices as heretofore suggested, in that no tools are required to permit the replacement of the fuse element.

Various changes may be made inJthe form, constructionand arrangement of the parts within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the invention or sacrificing any or its material advantages.

1 claim:

1. An electric fuse comprising, a hollow body of insulating material, provided. t one end with a cap having a slot: therein, a fuse element support within said body and carrying blades, one of which is adapted to project through said slot in separable relation to said cap, a cap permanently secured to the other blade and adapted to embrace and frietionally engage the other end of said body and means for detachably securing a fuse element in electrical contact with said blades.

2. An electric fuse comprising, hollow body of insulating material, provided at one end with a cap having a slot therein, a blade adapted to project through said slot in separable relation to said cap, another blade carrying a cap permanently secured thereto and adapted to embrace and frictionally engage the other and of said body, an insulat mg fuse element support, screws coni'iecting sa blades and support and nuts on said screws whereby a fuse element is detachably held in electrical contact with said blades.

3. in electric 'lnse comprising", atube of insulating material, a can at one tube having; a slot ther and of s 'd can, a pair 0":

a fuse element support connected tosaid blades within said tubes, one of'said blades being independent of" said cap and adapted to project through said slot, :1 cap permanently secured to the other blade and adapted to embrace and frictionally engage the other end of said tube and a fuse element detachably held in spaced relation to said support and in electrical Contact with said blades.

l; An electric fuse comprising, a hollow body of insulating material provided at one end with a cap having a slot therein, a fuse element support within said body and carrying blades, one of which is adapted to pro ject through said.cap, a cap secured to the other blade and adapted to embrace and. frictionally engage the other end of said body and a spring secured to said support andengaging said body to normally retain the parts in assembled relation.

5. An electric fuse comprising, a tube of insulating material, a cap at one end of said tube having a slot therein, a pair of blades, a fuse element support connected to said blades within said tube, one of said blades being adaptedto project through said cap, a cap secured to the other blade and adapt-' ed to embrace and frictionally engag the other and of said tube, a fuse element dc-- tzurhably secured in electrical contact with said blades and a spring secured to said sup port and engaging said tube to normally hold the parts in assembled relation.

In testimony whereof I. my signature,

Allilid LUZ? "W 

